Signal.



` for shifting t combination, with a signa 'UNTTED sTATEs PATENT oEEioE.

ELECTRIC COMPANY,

KARL MLLER, OF CHARLOTTENBURG, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

1905. Serial No. 264.779.

Patented -J an. 30, 1906.

Application filed June 12,

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, KARL, MLLER, a subject of the King of Prussia, German Emperor, residing at Charlottenbur Germany, have invented certain new an useful Improvements in Signals, of which the' following is a speciiication. 1

My invention relates to signals, and particularly to signals which are o erated by solenoids. lt iswell understoo that such signals require' much more current for shifting them than is needed for holding them in position when shifted, and it has been pro osed heretofore to rovide the solenoidwit two windings, bot used for` shifting the signal, and to arrange a switch operatedby the signal for cutting out one of the windings when the'signal has been shifted to its proper position. Such an arrangement results in a considerable economy of current. A large amount of current is required, however, for shifting the signal, and if the controlling-station is at some distance from the signal conductors of comparatively large size are reuired to carry the necessary current. can be avoided by roviding a source of current near the signaFitself and arranging a relay controlled from a distant point to control the circuit of the solenoid. For the local source of current near the signal it is frequentl necessary to em loy atteries, and since t e solenoidmust e maintained continually energized as long as the signal is in clear posit'on the batteryis delivering current for the greater part of the time, which is a disadvantage.

My invention consists in connecting only one of the solenoid windings to the local source of current and connecting the holdingwinding, as well as the relay-Wmding, to the distant control-station. With this arrangement the lar e amount of current re uire he signal is furnished by t e local source of current, so that the conductors extending to the distant control-station may be small; but the local circuit is closed only while the signal is being shifted, so that if a battery is used it isworking only a very small part of the time and the rate of depreciation is greatly reduced. Y

My invention accordingy consists in the operating it having two windings, one connected to a local source of current and the of a solenoid for other connected to a distant control-station, together with a relay having its winding connected to the distant control-station and arranged to control the loc-al circuit, and a switch operated by the signal for breaking the local circuit lwhen the' signal is in position either directly or by denergizing the relay.

My invention will best be understood by reference to the accompanying drawing, which shows diagrammatically a signal provided with controlling means arranged in accordance with my invention.

In the drawing, A represents a semaphorearm provided with the usual counterweight a, arranged to draw the semaphore-arm to danger position, as shown, when the arm is released by the operating means. The means for shifting the signal to clear position consists oi a solenoi -core B, rovided with two Windin s, one of which, C is connected to a loca source of current D, while the other Winding c is connected to the distant control-station. E represents a relay, the armature of which, e, is included in circuit with the solenoid-coils C C and the local source of current D. The armature e is provided With a spring e', which holds it in open osition, as shown, except when the relay E 1s energized.

-F represents a switch operated by the signal, which when the signa is in danger position, as shown, is held open by the s ring f, but which is closed when the signa -arm A is moved to clear position. The closing of switch E short-circuits the winding of relay E.

At the distant control-station is a switch G and a suitable source of current H The switch G may be operated manually or automatically in any well-known manner.

The operation is as follows: With the signal at danger and the several parts in the position shown if the switch G is closed a circuit will be completed from the source of current H through the relay-Winding E and solenoid-Winding c. The relay-armaturee is consequentlyT drawn to closed position, closing the loca circuit from the source of current D through the solenoid-winding C C. Both windings of the solenoid are thus energized and cooperate to draw down the core B4 so as to shift the signal-arm A to clear position. When this position is reached, switch E is moved to closed position, thereby shortcirouiting the relay-Winding E. The relay IOC releases its armature, thereby opening the local circuit and denergizing the winding C C. The solenoid-winding c is still energized, however, as long as switch G at the distant control-station is kept closed, and conseuently the signal-arm is held at clear position. Whenever the switch G at the distant station is opened, the signal-arm is released and returns to danger position, as shown, allowing switch F to open.

It will be understood that for the sake of simplicity I have shown the several parts of the apparatus diagrammatically and that in practice any well-known form of apparatus may be employed. Accordingly I do not desire to limit myself to the particular construction and arrangement of arts here shown, but aim in the appended) claims to cover all modifications which are within the scope of my invention.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. In combination, a counterweighted signal, a solenoid adapted to shift said signal and having two windings, a local circuit comprising one of said windings and a local source of current, a distant control-circuit including the other winding, a relay connected to A said control-circuit and controlling the local erated by the movecircuit, and a switch o controlling the local ment of the signal an circuit.

2. In combination, a counterweighted signal, a solenoid adapted to shift said signal and having two windings, a local circuit compris'- 3 5' ing one of said windings and a local source of current, a distant control-circuit including the other winding, a relay connected to said control-circuit and controlling the local circuit, and a switch operated by the move- 4o ment of the signal and arranged to denergize said relay to open said local circuit.

3. In combination, a counterweighted signal, a solenoid adapted to shift said signal and having two windings, a local circuit com- 4 5 prising one of said windings and a local source of current, a distant control-circuit including the other winding, a relay connected to said control-circuit and controlling the local circuit, and a switch operated by the 5o movement of the signal and arranged to short-circuit said relay.

4. In combination, a counterweighted signal, a solenoid adapted to shift said signal and having two windings, a local circuit com- 5 5 prising one of said windings and a local source of current, a control-circuit including the other winding and a distant control-station, means controlled from said distant station for closing the local circuit, and means con- 6o trolled by the movement of said signal for openin the local circuit.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 22d day of May, 1905.

KARL MOLLER.

Witnesses:

JULIUs RUMLAND, KARL ROEKEBEIN. 

